WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1907
13
CALL FOR EARLY INTRODUCTION OF DECLARATION MECHANISM
*****
THE MECHANISM FOR DECLARATION ALLOWING NON-CHINESE PERSONS TO OBTA IN THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE INTRODUCED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, THE HON LEE YU-TAI URGED DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1987 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
{AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1987 IN THE
MR LEE SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE BILL USED A RACIAL DISTINCTION TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT OF ABODE.
HE WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT NON-CHINESE PERSONS WHO HAD LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS AND WHO HAD TAKEN HONG KONG AS THE IR PLACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE RIGHT OF ABODE BY MEANS OF A SIMPLE DECLARATION.
HOWEVER, HE REGISTERED HIS UNEASE ABOUT GIVING RIGHTS ACCORDING TO RACIAL DISTINCTION AND HOPED THIS WOULD NOT BE USED IN FUTURE LEGISLATION AS A BASIS FOR GRANTING RIGHTS.
MR LEE SAID HE WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE BILL IN TAKING AWAY THE RIGHT TO LAND OF NON-CHINESE PERSONS WHO HAD RENOUNCED THEIR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZEN (BDTC) STATUS SINCE JANUARY 1, 1983.
HE NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE COULD RESUME THE IR BDTC STATUS AT ANY TIME BEFORE JULY 1, 1997, THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AT THE EXPENSE OF GIVING UP THE OTHER NATIONALITY.
HE EXPRESSED HIS SYMPATHY FOR THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND SAID THEY COULD NOT BE BLAMED FOR TAKING OUT INSURANCE BY OBTAINING FOR THEMSELVES A FALLBACK NATIONALITY.
+PEOPLE WHO ACQUIRE OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP DO NOT WISH TO LEAVE HONG KONG, BUT THEY ARE MERELY TAKING A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE,+ HE SAID.
/1h